1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved device for hanging and supporting drapes or curtains and valence portions on single conventional curtain rod assemblies.
2. Background Information
Various types of curtains or drapery, drapery systems and drapery connection and hanging assemblies have been known in the art. Typical of these inventions are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,550,038; 4,466,476; 4,237,958; 4,217,676; 3,905,414; 3,785,003; 3,688,341; 3,681,158; 3,616,486; 3,437,127 and 3,422,879; which were located during the process of a patent search. Copies of all patents cited are enclosed pursuant to 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99.
Some of the prior art references include the concept of having certain portions of drapes or curtains connected or attached by snap means to a drapery connector assembly or means for supporting drapes or curtains. Examples of this type of art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,237,958; 3,905,414 and 3,688,341; issued respectively to Guebert et al., Guebert et al. and Peckham.
The two Guebert references disclose a drapery connector assembly and improved drapery connector assembly. The '958 Guebert Patent reference discloses a connector assembly utilized to drape a table or stage having a peripheral edge with a downwardly extending flange, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6 of its drawings. This connector assembly discloses and claims a plurality of improved clips which are adapted to be clamped along the peripheral edge of the table or stage. A section of each clip is provided with a fastener to receive a mating fastener from a drapery section such that the drapery is suspended by the installed clips. The '414 Guebert reference discloses a similar assembly arrangement with each of the clips having a different structural design from the later improved '958 Guebert Patent reference. Neither of the Guebert references disclose a means whereby the drapery or curtain means itself is provided with a means of being self-supporting together with the ability to receive additional attachable valance portions. Guebert teaches support of a drapery section by utilizing a plurality of installed clips rather than self-support of the drapery itself while installed on a traditional curtain rod.
The '341 Peckham patent reference teaches a slidable snap fastener device for supporting drapes or curtains. Peckham discloses a slide member which is mounted in a slotted track or transverse rod. The slide member is provided with an arm portion carrying a U-shaped hook member. One part of a snap fastener is secured to one leg of the hook member in the Peckham device, and the other part is adapted to be secured to a drape or curtain. This invention requires and claims a slotted horizontally disposed track where a slide member having a hook receiving opening is adapted to slide on the track; a U-shaped hook having a pair of depending legs to be mounted on the slide member; one portion of a two part snap fastener to be mounted on one of the hook's legs; and the other portion of the snap to be secured to the drapery and attached in cooperation so that the drapery is supported by the slide member and U-shaped hook on the track. The Peckham device does not disclose or claim a self-supporting drapery device which may function in the absence of sliding members, hooks or specially designed track means.
Additionally in the prior art a number of inventions have employed various hook, clamp and drape pin means to secure curtain and drapery sections onto transverse hanging rods, resulting in a number of disadvantages which exist the art presently. Examples of such art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,681,158; 3,437,127 and 3,422,879; issued respectively, to Foggo, Lukashok and Ryan.
None of the references specifically illustrates the present invention. Nor is the present invention obvious in view of any of the prior art references listed herein. In addition, all of the prior art heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:
(a) The prior art devices require additional hooks, hanging members, tracking systems or specially designed hanging rod systems in order to support sections of curtain or drapery above an installation area.
(b) The prior art devices are not designed or adapted to add or change the valance without the need for taking the installed curtain down to carefully fix individual, independent members to the curtain in what has resulted in a time consuming process. Therefore, the valance on an installed prior art curtain can not be easily changed to introduce different design arrangements in a room or near an installation area such as floral, stripe or solid color changes, to enhance room decoration.
(c) The prior art devices are not designed to be effectively utilized with or without a valance.
(d) It is a further disadvantage of the prior art curtain and drapery devices that they are not self-supporting, but require additional detachable members such as clips, hooks or other independent parts in order to be properly supported and installed.
(e) Additionally, the prior art devices often require one, two or three additional hanging rods or more intricate, complicated and expensive hanging devices in order to install curtains together with valance or shear sections.
(f) It is yet a further disadvantage of the prior art devices that they are not easily mounted, supported or installed on single conventional curtain rods.
(g) Additionally, the prior art devices are not designed or adapted to install a curtain and valance as one self-supporting unit or assembly on a single curtain rod.
These and other disadvantages of the prior art will become apparent in reviewing the remainder of the present specification and the drawings.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a self-supporting and self-installing curtain and valance assembly which does not require additional hooks, clips or other independent securing members for installation and support.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an assembly which easily allows for the change and installation of different valance subassemblies to easily and quickly change curtain design and enhance room decoration.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an assembly which can be used with or without a valance subassembly, and which is provided with a mesh trim surfaced portion which enhances the visual appearance of the curtain subassembly without adversely affecting the connection over the mesh surface of a selected valance subassembly.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a two-on-one snap, self-supporting curtain and valance assembly which can be easily mounted and installed together on a simple, single conventional or inexpensive curtain rod by providing self-contained, coupling support by wrapping around a single, conventional curtain rod and snapping or coupling together for self-support by the curtain's own closed surface thereon.
Additional object of the present invention include providing a self-supporting curtain and valance assembly which makes hanging curtains and drapes easy and simple, and which provides a two-on-one snap curtain that eliminates the old fashioned problems associated in the prior art with hanging and installing curtains.